Patrick Stewart Would Play Professor X Again With Deadpool

Most of the discussion surrounding the release of Logan has focused on the fact that the film will be Hugh Jackman’s last turn in the role of Wolverine. After 17 years spent popping adamantium claws during various X-Men and solo adventures, the actor will let the dark, R-rated outing show him the proverbial door. Starring alongside Jackman in the film is Patrick Stewart, who has played the role of mutant headmaster Professor X for just as long. Though he was initially reluctant to say he too would be handing in his keys to the X Mansion, the acclaimed actor has since gone on to state he intends to retire from the franchise as well.

That Logan will be the final film for both actors, in roles that have since made their names synonymous with comic book characters, certainly lends the movie a far weightier feel than if it had just been yet another installment of a seemingly never-ending franchise. While Jackman’s passing of the torch – for now – to Dafne Keen’s X-23 represents a more significant shift in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men universe, considering James McAvoy has had his fair share of outings as Charles Xavier, Stewart’s pending departure is not insignificant. But as is so often the case, the actor admits there is one scenario that might see him return to the role.

During a video interview with MTV, Stewart admitted recent talk of a certain red-suited motor mouth with a Wolverine-like healing factor could convince him to play Xavier again. That’s right, Patrick Stewart would like to work with Ryan Reynolds in a Deadpool movie. When asked whether or not this really is his last time as the character, Stewart said:

“I would have said yes, but the discussion just now about Deadpool makes me think, well, maybe there is a proper justification for the revival of Charles Xavier.”

Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool for GQ

So, it seems Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth isn’t just capable of earning oodles of cash at the box office and convincing studio executives that audiences will flock to R-rated superhero fare; Deadpool can also reinvigorate an actor’s interest in role he’s played for nearly 20 years. That’s pretty impressive for a character who languished in development hell for years before some “leaked” footage got fans riled up enough he earned a cinematic second chance.

With Deadpool 2 in the works, perhaps Reynolds and co. will find that adding Patrick Stewart to the profane adventures of everyone’s favorite mutant mercenary will be the right sort of way to make the successful solo character an even greater representative of Fox’s ongoing mutant franchise. Given that Stewart said he’d likely be up for it, the team behind the next Deadpool movie would be silly not to take him on it.